Fixture

Second placed Cefn Coed were the visitors to Old Penarthians last Saturday in their latest Division 5 East Central fixture and it was a return to winning ways for the home team in a 39 points to 19 victory.  Despite a comfortable scoreline there were still moments of anxiety for the Old Pens touchline supporters just before half time when a 22-0, four try bonus point, lead in the first 33 minutes of the first half was reduced by two converted tries in the last 7 minutes but control was eventually reestablished for a deserved win.

The initial stages of the match were evenly contested with the referee allowing play to continue as much as possible with sensible advantages for minor infringements.  It meant that the game was a little frantic at times with several loose passes preventing the Old Penarthians taking full advantage of a free-flowing style of play involving both forwards and threequarters.

But on 13 minutes it was Cefn Coed who had the first opportunity for points but a penalty kick went wide.  Old Penarthians returned to the attack and were soon in the Cefn Coed twenty-two but the defence could not be breached until a deft chip forward by Jonathan Crimp was collected by Rory Hone to score the opening try.  The conversion was unsuccessful.

Five minutes later the score was doubled when a line break in mid field by Chance Marsden was interrupted by a high tackle but he still released the ball to Crimp who passed on to James Reynolds. Reynolds made ground before passing to the supporting Hone who scored his second try. The conversion was again missed.

Penarthians were now in the ascendancy and a flowing move across the width of the field saw Jake Thomas and season debutant, Lloyd Clarke, make ground in midfield.  They found support from front row forwards Marsden and Nathan Harris and when the ball was recycled from a ruck an ecstatic Laithan Coombs crossed for his first try in senior rugby. This time Crimp was successful with his conversion and Old Pens led 17-0

From the kick off the ball was well taken by Mark Smart, closing in on his 200^th appearance for the 1^st XV. He went into contact and Gareth Clancy found Josh Preece inside his own twenty-two. Instead of kicking he passed on to his fellow threequarters and after an incisive break by Ieuan Harris the ball reached Richie Moir who ran in from 35m to score.  This earned the Old Pens a bonus point for scoring four tries and a healthy lead heading for half time. 

Then came a lack of composure and perhaps complacency allowing Cefn Coed to assert themselves for the first time.  Several penalties conceded by the home team defence led to sustained pressure on the tryline and on two occasions this was exploited by the visitors.  Firstly, from a forward drive from a lineout and then from a short, quickly taken tap penalty that was met with minimal tackling and the half time lead to Old Penarthians was cut to 22-15.

 At half time Anthony Armstrong, also making his seasonal debut, was replaced by Josh Alcock, making a welcome return to the side after injury. He joined the backrow with Coombs going into the second row.  The second half started however with Cefn Coed on the attack and only good, this time disciplined defence, kept the visitors from scoring.  The next 15 minutes were controlled by Old Pens with good scrummaging and line outs operating behind some fine line and territorial kicking from Preece.

And it was from territory gained and a line out in the opposition twenty-two that Hone found himself in space and under the posts for his third try.  It was to be Hone’s last action of the game however as he succumbed to another muscle injury just as the conversion from Crimp was successful.

The lead was extended after 25 minutes when a kick up field was well chased by Marsden who pressurised the defender into a mistake. Preece was in support and after inter-passes between Harris and Mark Sadler it was Harris who crossed for the team’s sixth try of the afternoon.  The conversion from wide out was unsuccessful but Crimp made amends five minutes later with a penalty kick to give Penarthians a 37-14 lead

With only seven minutes remaining and with Cefn Coed reduced to 13 players after two red cards for a dangerous high tackle and then a foul mouthed verbal assault of the referee, the visitors were reinvigorated and were on the offence for most of the remaining time crossing for an unconverted try to make the final score 37-19 in favour of Old Penarthians.

The Old Penarthians next match will be on Saturday 30^th November away to Llandrindod Wells. A victory would push the side towards one of the two promotion places so spectators are welcome to join the team coach for the journey to mid-Wales.